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Casino or Goodfellas?

Casino or Goodfellas?


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Jetboogieman

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Arguably the crown jewels in Martin Scorsese's career, these two epic gangster films are among some of the finest films ever made.

But which one is actually better?

I recently watched both again and I found myself wondering that question a lot.

On the one hand Goodfellas was first and Casino is rather similar, but personally, for myself I've actually come to the opinion that Casino is better, when I sat down and watched it all again, I just had more fun watching Casino, I actually liked Joe Pescis character of Nicky, more than Tommy, although of course, they are both great, I feel the character of Nicky had a bit more of a character arc and I feel that De Niros character in Casino had a more dramatic and fleshed out relationship that also had a more interesting arc with his wife than Ray Liottas conflict with his wife in Goodfellas.

The other point I'll make though and

*spoilers ahead if you've been living under a rock and you've never seen these films*

this is not necessarily a positive or a negative, but the scene where Nicky and his brother are beaten to death in Casino... I feel, the first time I saw that, that it was one of the most viscerally, graphically violent scenes I've ever seen in movie history, like I've seen alot of violent films, but something about scene, it was so grounded, so realistic it honestly left me pretty shocked after seeing it.

Now, both films are again, some of the best films ever made but I think they are more different than the critics of the day gave them credit for, they are both near perfect films, but Casino, I dunno it edges it out for me.

Whats your take?
 
Goodfellas is hands down the best mobster movie in history...

The first half of Casino is freaking awesome but it then delves into this stupid insanity with Sharon Stone and it goes forever...
 
What was the one with Al Pacino; Donnie Brasco? Gritty and real

If only the two choices, I vote Good Fellas; but God Father 1+2 were awesome, imo....
 
What was the one with Al Pacino; Donnie Brasco? Gritty and real

If only the two choices, I vote Good Fellas; but God Father 1+2 were awesome, imo....

Yeah, Donnie Brasco was a hell of a movie. Depp was great in it as well.
 
Arguably the crown jewels in Martin Scorsese's career, these two epic gangster films are among some of the finest films ever made.

But which one is actually better?

I recently watched both again and I found myself wondering that question a lot.

On the one hand Goodfellas was first and Casino is rather similar, but personally, for myself I've actually come to the opinion that Casino is better, when I sat down and watched it all again, I just had more fun watching Casino, I actually liked Joe Pescis character of Nicky, more than Tommy, although of course, they are both great, I feel the character of Nicky had a bit more of a character arc and I feel that De Niros character in Casino had a more dramatic and fleshed out relationship that also had a more interesting arc with his wife than Ray Liottas conflict with his wife in Goodfellas.

The other point I'll make though and

*spoilers ahead if you've been living under a rock and you've never seen these films*

this is not necessarily a positive or a negative, but the scene where Nicky and his brother are beaten to death in Casino... I feel, the first time I saw that, that it was one of the most viscerally, graphically violent scenes I've ever seen in movie history, like I've seen alot of violent films, but something about scene, it was so grounded, so realistic it honestly left me pretty shocked after seeing it.

Now, both films are again, some of the best films ever made but I think they are more different than the critics of the day gave them credit for, they are both near perfect films, but Casino, I dunno it edges it out for me.

Whats your take?

Casino. ...and you are right about that scene.
You are also right about the fleshing out of Robert's character.
When he talks to the cop who was called to his house by his first name.
 
Arguably the crown jewels in Martin Scorsese's career, these two epic gangster films are among some of the finest films ever made.

But which one is actually better?

I recently watched both again and I found myself wondering that question a lot.

On the one hand Goodfellas was first and Casino is rather similar, but personally, for myself I've actually come to the opinion that Casino is better, when I sat down and watched it all again, I just had more fun watching Casino, I actually liked Joe Pescis character of Nicky, more than Tommy, although of course, they are both great, I feel the character of Nicky had a bit more of a character arc and I feel that De Niros character in Casino had a more dramatic and fleshed out relationship that also had a more interesting arc with his wife than Ray Liottas conflict with his wife in Goodfellas.

The other point I'll make though and

*spoilers ahead if you've been living under a rock and you've never seen these films*

this is not necessarily a positive or a negative, but the scene where Nicky and his brother are beaten to death in Casino... I feel, the first time I saw that, that it was one of the most viscerally, graphically violent scenes I've ever seen in movie history, like I've seen alot of violent films, but something about scene, it was so grounded, so realistic it honestly left me pretty shocked after seeing it.

Now, both films are again, some of the best films ever made but I think they are more different than the critics of the day gave them credit for, they are both near perfect films, but Casino, I dunno it edges it out for me.

Whats your take?

I agree, Casino gets the nod but not by much. Joe Pesci is one of the all-time tough guys in it. That scene where DeNiro goes out in the desert to meet him, and Pesci's character drives up and gets out of that Monte Carlo, pushing his atittude ahead of him, is classic.
That scene in the cornfield, the narration says they were buried still alive to warn the others, but who was there to warn? Funny what stupid little things you remember and wonder about.
 
Goodfellas. Casino, while well done, was too graphic for me to enjoy without seeing things that can't be unseen.
 
Arguably the crown jewels in Martin Scorsese's career, these two epic gangster films are among some of the finest films ever made.

But which one is actually better?

I recently watched both again and I found myself wondering that question a lot.

On the one hand Goodfellas was first and Casino is rather similar, but personally, for myself I've actually come to the opinion that Casino is better, when I sat down and watched it all again, I just had more fun watching Casino, I actually liked Joe Pescis character of Nicky, more than Tommy, although of course, they are both great, I feel the character of Nicky had a bit more of a character arc and I feel that De Niros character in Casino had a more dramatic and fleshed out relationship that also had a more interesting arc with his wife than Ray Liottas conflict with his wife in Goodfellas.

The other point I'll make though and

*spoilers ahead if you've been living under a rock and you've never seen these films*

this is not necessarily a positive or a negative, but the scene where Nicky and his brother are beaten to death in Casino... I feel, the first time I saw that, that it was one of the most viscerally, graphically violent scenes I've ever seen in movie history, like I've seen alot of violent films, but something about scene, it was so grounded, so realistic it honestly left me pretty shocked after seeing it.

Now, both films are again, some of the best films ever made but I think they are more different than the critics of the day gave them credit for, they are both near perfect films, but Casino, I dunno it edges it out for me.

Whats your take?

I went with Goodfellas, probably because it's the one I rewatched most recently. Great films.
 
Goodfellas, although Casino was great. Donnie Brasco and Black Mass are right up there as well imo.
 
Cacino, hands down.

DiNero > Liota.
 
Goodfellas
Black Mass
Donnie Brasco
Casino
The Godfather
The Godfather II
A Bronx Tale
Legend (where Tim Hardy played the Kray Twins from London was AWESOME!)
American Gangster
Layer Cake
Once Upon A Time in America
Kill the Irishman (About Danny something in Cleveland, true story)
King Of New York

Others:

The Informant (not a true gangster film but about drug importing)
American Made
 
Goodfellas. Casino, while well done, was too graphic for me to enjoy without seeing things that can't be unseen.
Just keep ya' mouth shut and you won't have to worry about any of those "things" happening to you.

AppropriateBlankDiplodocus-size_restricted.gif
 
I haven't seen Donnie Brasco(!), missed it and never caught it. Something to watch, yay.

this is not necessarily a positive or a negative, but the scene where Nicky and his brother are beaten to death in Casino... I feel, the first time I saw that, that it was one of the most viscerally, graphically violent scenes I've ever seen in movie history, like I've seen alot of violent films, but something about scene, it was so grounded, so realistic it honestly left me pretty shocked after seeing it.

That scene was the first thing I thought of when I saw your post title. That kind of intentionally brutality/murdering, sickens me still. A few of those scenes I think about on occasion (the various hits).
And yet if a movie/art is here to inform us of reality in a fictional/artistic way, then maybe the realistic representation is there as a caution...this kind of stuff happens, it's a razors edge of humanity.

Goodfellas was a wild ride, but I like watching De Niro in Casino more than Liotta I think. Hard to say unless I watched them now, and back-to-back.

My favorite crime/brutality, although not gangster, was Heat. I watch that every time it's on, can't help myself.
 
Just keep ya' mouth shut and you won't have to worry about any of those "things" happening to you.

AppropriateBlankDiplodocus-size_restricted.gif

it was too much for me. looks like Billy Batts got his cinematic revenge, though. with bats.
 
it was too much for me. looks like Billy Batts got his cinematic revenge, though. with bats.
There's no shame in being buried alive. :mrgreen:
 
I haven't seen Donnie Brasco(!), missed it and never caught it. Something to watch, yay.



That scene was the first thing I thought of when I saw your post title. That kind of intentionally brutality/murdering, sickens me still. A few of those scenes I think about on occasion (the various hits).
And yet if a movie/art is here to inform us of reality in a fictional/artistic way, then maybe the realistic representation is there as a caution...this kind of stuff happens, it's a razors edge of humanity.

Goodfellas was a wild ride, but I like watching De Niro in Casino more than Liotta I think. Hard to say unless I watched them now, and back-to-back.

My favorite crime/brutality, although not gangster, was Heat. I watch that every time it's on, can't help myself.
The art of mob movies is they demonstrate that though psychopaths can be charming, they are still psychopaths, and are more evil than good.
 
Goodfellas is hands down the best mobster movie in history...

The first half of Casino is freaking awesome but it then delves into this stupid insanity with Sharon Stone and it goes forever...

Good synopsis. No gangster would let his wife act like that and get away with it.
 
Goodfellas is hands down the best mobster movie in history...
Um, no. The Godfather I and II is still the greatest ever.

If anyone likes mobster movies, I would suggest a few foreign films and TV shows that are pretty good: Gomorra, Suburra, Romanzo Criminale, Mesrine I and II, and of course, City of God (the only movie to come close to the Godfather).

As far as Casino and Goodfellas, I'll take Casino, since its more refined. Pesci seems to play the same character in both movies too lol.
 
Casino. ...and you are right about that scene.
You are also right about the fleshing out of Robert's character.
When he talks to the cop who was called to his house by his first name.

I agree about that scene. What always gets me, and I've recently watched Casino again, is that Pesci is in his tighty-whities.
 
Um, no. The Godfather I and II is still the greatest ever.

If anyone likes mobster movies, I would suggest a few foreign films and TV shows that are pretty good: Gomorra, Suburra, Romanzo Criminale, Mesrine I and II, and of course, City of God (the only movie to come close to the Godfather).

As far as Casino and Goodfellas, I'll take Casino, since its more refined. Pesci seems to play the same character in both movies too lol.

City of God is really, really good.

I know its not a mobster movie but Tropa De Elite I and II are amazing as well, which is no surprise since all 3 films are written by the same person (Bráulio Mantovani).

I also really like the Yakuza film Outrage by Takeshi Kitano, Outrage II is good as well, and I haven't seen Outrage III, but the latter two are a bit more fantastical and not nearly as grounded.
 
I think Casino is the better movie, but I like Goodfellas more.
 
Goodfellas.... great from the git-go and that classic scene where Tommy busts Hank's balls in the bar. Better sound track also IMO.
 
I went with Goodfellas because it was much more entertaining.

Casino comes off as more of a bio pic, and as somebody who lived in Las Vegas for quite a while, that seems to be an old story.
 
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